1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the preparation of hydrogenosilanes, and, more especially, to the preparation of monosilanes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Processes for the production of monosilanes by reduction of silicon halides utilizing reducing agents such as lithium aluminum hydride, or lithium or sodium hydrides, are known to this art.
The reduction of silicon halides by LiAlH.sub.4 is described, in particular, in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 20, Third Edition, pages 887-911 (906) (1982). This reaction is carried out in a solvent medium, but in light of the very high cost thereof it is of little use industrially.
Reduction by sodium or lithium hydrides is specifically described in the aforecited reference for LiAlH.sub.4 ; it requires operating at high temperatures in polar solvents or in a molten salt medium because of the slight solubilization of lithium hydride.